Cabinet and furniture construction



Nov. 29, 1955 A. STEA ETAL CABINET AND FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1951 Q? 9 M u mm ,m EQA M m% W .MD n a r A F Y B 3:

Nov. 29, 1955 A. sTEA ET AL CABINET AND FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1951 Nn F:

N um S INVENTORS Armand Stea ronk DellAiru ATTO RN EY Nov. 29, 1955 A. STEA ET AL CABINET AND FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 20, 1951 ATTOR NEY 2,725,273 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 United States atent fiice 2,725,273 CABINET AND nonnrronn cons-ranchers Armand Stea, Brookiyn, and Frank DeilAira,

. Rosedaie, N. Y.

. This invention,. relates to furniture and-the construction thereof.- Y An'object of the invention is to provide a novel and useful improvement infurniture, cabinets and the like, whereby, the fabrication, construction and assembly thereof .is greatly simplified and facilitated. Another object oft-he vinvention is to provide a novel and,.improved cabinet construction which is adjustable upon installation so that it may be made to fit into. any ceiling height, and so that a single size of unit may be employed to fit into a range s-f installations of varying ceiling heights. V

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof, and in which, i v

Figured is a front elevational view showing a com plete cabinet assembly, including a pair of complementary cabinets and interconnecting means.

FigureZ an exploded perspective view showing one of the cabinets of Figure lin exploded form, the interconnectingmeans being illustrated in fragment in the figure, the parts being thus shown in the form of subassemblies in mutually spaced array for illustrative purposes.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a drawer support assembly, including drawers in retracted positions, which is adapted for interchange with the lower cabinet door assembly shown in the lower portion .of Figure 2.

Figured is a front elevational View showing a modified form of the invention, the view showing a pair of cabinetswith interconnecting means to forrn the complete installation.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan viewtaken orithe irregular plane 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 ,is an enlargement of the lower left hand corner ofthe viewshown in Figure 5, to better illustrate the construction details thereof.

i ure] is a sectional view in fragment, as seen subally onplane 7-7 of Figure 6.

V ore 8 is a sectional elevational view showing a modiiied form of the invention providing adjustment for variation in ceiling heights, the view being taken substantially on planecorresponding to plane 8 -8 of Figure 4. I

Fi ure "9 is a fragmentary front elevation of the modified form of the invention, as might be seen from the viewpoint plane 99 indicated in Figure 8.

Figure, 10 is an exploded view arranged somewhat in similar fashion to Figure 2, but showing a modified form of the invention, according to the form shown in Figures 8 and 9.

in the manufacture and sale of furniture, cabinets and other articles of similar nature, it has been found that for good quality work and craftsmanship, the cost of materials and labor has been: quite high, and this has tended to make it practically impossible for the great mass t-c asing power of the middle classes of persons to be brought into action to bring fine construction and workmanship into their homes. Where the better grades of wood are to be used in making these articles, such as mahogany, and the like, the cost of such materials is so high that when added to the labor of fabricating, jointing and assembling such articles, cabinets and the, like, the average builder or householder finds them far beyond his reach. The present invention provides a novel construction of furniture, cabinets, and similar installations, andalso those which are intended for permanent installation as a part of the building, whereby the ultimate cost is very much reduced.

Thus, although expensive Woods are employed in the fabrication of the cabinets and other articles, they are so constructed as to be very easily assembled at the site where they are to be installed and used, and further, can

beassernbled and installed by relatively unskilled labor,

and thus with a further saving in costs. This is accomplished by reducing the finished article or cabinet to a number of individual units and/ or subassembly elements, which are quickly and easily re-assembled to make up the finished article, and by other means disclosed in this application, including novel jointing and joining methods and means.

n order to understand clearly the nature of the invention, and the best means for carrying it out, reference may now be had to the drawings, in which like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Figure 1, his seen that a major in.- stallation may include left and right major cabinet assembiies 2d and 22 which may be interconnected for complete coordination and cooperation, by means of a valance assembly 24. For installation against a wall in a room, for example, the left major cabinet assembly may have its left wet edge 2-6 disposed in contact engagement with a side wall 28 of the room, which may be perpendicular to the wall 30 against which the combination units are disposed. Similarly, the right major assembly cabinet 22 may be, so disposed as shown in Figure 1, that its rightmost edge 32 is placed in contact engagement withthe room wall which is opposite to side wall 28 and parallel thereto, and hence perpendicular to wall 30, seen in Figure 5, against which the combination total assembly is placed.

The interconnecting valance assembly, which is. shown generally at 24, is adjustable in length and place of engagement with the leftand right major cabinet assemblies, so as to allow the structural and decorative effect desired, to dominate the entire wall 30 of the room, regardless of the spacing of the side walls which are perpendicular to wall And this may be carried out right on the job location without making any structural alterations of the various elements which make up the combination itself.

."Ihe left major cabinet assembly 20 has a pair of inner upright left and right side walls 34 and 36, which may be of substantial height and width. These'walls 34 and 36 are disposed in mutually parallel relationship, spaced and interconnected by top and bottom walls 38 and 40, and intermediate wall 52, the interconnections of the'parts at the joints being effected in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 42, and it will be understood that the inner surfaces of the walls 34 and 36 may be recessed to provide seats for the ends .of the boards 33, 40 and 52, to further strengthen the joints thereat, if desired.

Between the top and bottom wall members 38 and 40 and above the intermediate wall member 52, we provide a number of mutually verticaly spaced shelves such as shown at 44, 46, 43 and 50, for use to support any desired articles, books, bric-a-brac, and the like, and these may either be permanently secured at their ends to the upright walls 34 and 36, by means of screws, nails, or other fastening means, or may be removably supported in position,

upon small angle brackets or supports 54,v of any suitable type, such, for example, as those. which have horizontal studs which fit into horizontal bores or recesses formed on the inner surfaces of the side walls 34 and 36, or other- Wise. By use of such means, the vertical spacing or disposition of the shelves 44,- 46, 48 and 50, may be varied to suit conditions or the articles to be supported thereonk A rear panel wall 56 may be sceured in overlying relationship, to the rearward edges of the uprights 34 and 36, and/ or the horizontal members 38, 4-6 and 52, and may be made of suitable sheet material, such as plywood, pressed-wood, or other desirable material. As seen best in-Figures 2, 5, 6 and 7, we form grooves 134 in the outer surfaces 132 of the upright side walls 34 and 36 ofthe device, to permit mutual engagement with the front walls 58 and 60 of the cabinets as shown. As seen best in Figures 6 and 7, we form the grooves 134 with convergent face' surfaces 136 and 138 which intersect substantially at right angles, leaving a portion 142 which remains parallel with the thus spaced face 132 of the walls on the other -side of the groove 134. The face boards such as 58, are

placed in abutment of their surfaces 144 against the forward edges of the side walls 34 and 36 of the device, and fastening elements such as screws 140 are driven through angularly-inclined openings formed in the bases 138 of the grooves 134, so as to penetrate into the face boards '58 and 60 from behind, so as to remain hidden from view. This forms a strong joint between the face boards 58 and 60, or 5812 and 601) as seen in Figure 2, and the inner assembly of which the inner uprights 34 and 36 are a part. At the same time, the leftmost major cabinet assembly, as seeen in Figure 5, is provided with an outer right wall 62, and the rightmost major cabinet assembly is provided with an outer left wall 6211, brought into right angle abutment respectively with the front face boards 60 and 58b as shown. To secure them together in this relationship, we employ vertical grooves as shown at 134d or 134, on the innerfaces of the boards 62 and 62b, the grooves being similar to the enlarged groove 134 shown in Figures 6 and 7, with intersecting plane faces 136 and 138,.and preformed screw holes formed in surface 138 to receive the screws 140, to secure the pieces together at the joint- Here again, itis seen that the fastening means is substantially hidden from view, and forms a strong joint. --.Where two such major cabinet assemblies such as 20 and,,22.are used, as seen in- Figure 1, they are effectively interconnected by means of the valance board 24, which extends at its ends 141 and 143, as seen best in Figure 5,,-.intoupwardly open slots or recesses 1401; and 140e, just-below'the upper-surface 150 of the side upright walls62. and 62b in Figures 2 and 5, or 62a as seen in Figure 10, the suffixes being used for convenience of designationand clarity as to which part is being mentioned at anyflpoint in this specification. Thus it is seen that-when the major cabinet assemblies 20 and Marc disposed-against their respective opposite side walls of the. room, such as wall 28, any end overhang of the valance .24 is absorbed as seen in Figure 5, in the hidden space between thewalls 36 and 62 on the left, and walls 62b and 34 on the right. The arrangement is thus suited to any size of room, and when the valance 24 is placed in position, it may be secured by means of nails, screws or the like, or merely left in the position shown, and a top face molding nailed thereto to finish it-otf and maintainthe position of the valance 24. 1 Theupper ends of the front face boards such as 58b and 60b, or 58 and 60, as the case may be, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, may be interconnected by a cross board 66b, joined at opposite end-s 67b and 69b to the abuttingportions of the face boards such as 58b and 60b, by. any suitable means, such, for example, as dowels, screws, or adhesively, and the parts may be recessed as seen in Figure 2, if desired. Similarly, the lower edge of the cross board-66b may be arched as seen in Figure 2, ormade substantially horizontal as seen at 66a in Figured-0, this being a matter of choice. For ornamentation, -an arched molding 76 may be secured .to the assembled pieces 58b, 60b and 66b, with an ornamental cap piece 78, and depending vertical molding sections continuing downwards on either side as at 72 and 74 in Figure 2, or at 72a and 74a in Figure 10.

Referring again to Figures 2, 5 and 6, it is seen that we provide an assembly unit shown especially in the lower right hand portion of Figure 2, that is to say, the pair of doors 92 and 94, and the surrounding frame unit in which they are to besecured to form a closure for the lower portion of the cabinets. We thus have two upright rails or furring members 80 and 82, which are placed in abutment against the lower portions of the face boards such as 58b and 60b, or such as 58 in Figures 5 and 6, being secured in such positions by means of screws 146 which penetrate through openings formed in the rearward surfaces 144 of the face boards such as 58, and into the rails 80 and 82 to form a strong joint. The rails 80 and 82 may be recessed to receive portions of hinges which are also carried opposite their pivots on the inner faces of the side rails such as 84 and 86 of the closure doors 92 and 94 respectively. The rails 80 and 82, which are thus secured at junction plane 148 to the face boards such as 58, are thus removably disposed in relation thereto, yet firmly mounted, to carry the doors. Each of the doors 92 and 94 has a central panel of plywood or other material, surrounded by top rails such as 96 or 98, with bottom rails such as 88 and 90 interconnected by central vertical rails such as 100, and suitable locks, not shown, may be arranged as desired for use therewith.

Facia boards 108 and 110 may be-secured across the outer faces of the rails 80 and 82, in horizontal vertically displaced disposition, above and below the doors, and finished off at either end with end pieces or boards and 118 respectively, which are mitered at their junction as shown at the left corner of Figure 6. Sills 114 and 116 may be placed just above the facia boards 108 and 110 and secured in position as shown in Figures 2, S and 6, or at the lower portions of Figure 1. It is seen that the moldings 72 and 74 rest upon or reach to the sill -116, and the face boards 58b and 60b may be recessed as at 70 in Figure 2, to enlarge the cabinet space thereat and to enhance the interfit.

For shipping purposes, the doors 92 and 94, mounted in the frame including the rails 80 and 82 and the boards 108, 110, 114, 116, 118 and 120, are formed into a composite sub-assembly, for ready insertion in the finished product when assembled, by mere insertion of the screws 146 as seen in Figure 6. Referring now to Figure 3, it is seen that instead of using the sub-assembly mentioned in the above sentence, we may instead insert the assembly shown in the lower portion of Figure 3, in lieu thereof. This thus includes a pair of side walls 122, top wall 124, and a bottom and rear walls, not seen in the views, arranged in the form of "a cabinet to define a plurality of drawer-receiving chambers into which drawers 126 are slidable. The various moldings are shown as at 1080, 1100, on the front, and side moldings-as at 1180 and 120c,'to finish off the assembly, it being understood that the rearward portions of the drawer arrange ment shown in Figure 3' may be recessed or otherwise constructed to avoid interference with the lower shelves 40 and 52of the assembly shown in Figure 2, or to integrate therewith. It is also seen that the moldings 72 and 74 of Figure 2 are shown at 72c and 740 of Figure 3 in fragment to indicate their relationship thereto, and to indicate how the assembly is effected, the boards 58b, 60b and 62b being also shown for this purpose.

Referring now to Figures 5, 8, 9 and 10, it is seen that this shows a modified form of the invention especially adapted for use where a variety of ceiling heights must be accommodated in the installation. Thus, the ceiling of the room, as at 152, may be nine feet above the floor line 154 in one building, whereas in another building it may be only eight and one-half feet high. To facilitate mass production of the cabinet construction disclosed herein, it is important that it be readily adaptable to a range of ceiling heights, without needing the intervention of a skilled cabinet maker upon installation.

For this purpose, we make certain modifications in the device shown in Figure 2, so that it has the appearance shown in Figure 10. Thus it is seen that the shelves which in Figure 2 were shown at 52 and 40 as normally integrated with the upright walls 34 and 36, are in Figure normally integrated with the front door and frame assembly so as to be movable therewith. Thus the shelf is shown at 52a in Figures 8, 9 and 10, and secured at its forward portion to the front horizontal member 108a, for movement therewith, and the lower shelf 40a is secured at its forward portion by means of cleat 113a, to horizontal lower member 110a, it being seen that cleat 111 permits support and engagement between upper member 108a and 52a, the fastening means being screws, nails, or other means.

Assuming now that the device as made in the factory or mill has been made to fit a nine-foot ceiling height, whereas on the job it is found that the ceiling is only about eight-and one-half foot height. It is thus necessary to elevate the lower portion by the distance shown at 180 in Figure 10, or 182 in Figure 8. We provide a number of holes as at 200 and 204 in the upright side walls 34a and 36a of the device, so that vertical adjustment may be made to account for the ceiling deviation in height. Having determined that the device must be decreased in vertical height by the distance 182, for example, or 180 in Figure 10, we merely move the assembly shown in the lower right corner of Figure 10 upwards to the upper broken line just above the numeral 180 at which the upper shelf 52a is in registry with the topmost screw holes 204, at position 52d in Figure 8, thus bringing the lowermost shelf from the position 40a shown in full lines in Figures 8 and 9, to the broken line position shown at 40d in registry with the screw holes shown thereat, being the topmost of the screw holes 200. The screws may then be driven through the holes 200 and 204 at the new locations of shelves 52d and 40d, to secure them to the side walls 34a and 36a. It is understood, of course, that the upward movement of the assembly thus mentioned, will make it necessary to cut away more of the recess shown at 70, in the side walls 58a and 60a, and to shorten the lower ends of the moldings 72a and 74a. It is then only necessary to take a saw and make a horizontal cut on the line 183, all around the lower part of the device,

at which the new floor line contact with floor 154 will be made. The entire alteration or adjustment can thus be made by any person having only a knowledge of the use of a saw and screwdriver.

Although we have described our invention in specific terms, it will be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

Cabinet and furniture construction comprising a pair of upright side walls mutually spaced from each other, upper and lower horizontal walls secured at their ends to the upper and lower portions respectively of said upright side walls, and defining therebetween an inner chamber, a plurality of upper shelves disposed in said inner chamber and engaged at their outer ends to said upright side walls, an intermediate horizontal wall dividing said inner chamber into upper and lower chamber portions, a closure assembly adapted for affording access to said lower chamber portion, outer wall means overlying said inner chamber and engaged against said upright side walls in abutting relation thereto, groove means formed in said upright side walls near their abutment with said outer wall means, fastening means penetrating inner portions of said groove means and engaging into said outer wall means angularly, for securing the same in said abutting relationship, said outer wall means having an opening formed therein to expose the interior of said inner chamber, said closure means being disposed in overlying relationship to that portion of said opening overlying said lower chamber portion, and fastening means penetrating said outer wall means and said closure means for securingthe same together.

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